Improvement in railroad-spikes



'UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIOE.

HENRY TORsTRIoK, OE NEW YORK7 AND REINEOLD ROEKLEN, OE BROOKLYN, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAI LROAD-SPIKES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l 11.096, dated January17, 1871 antedated January 6, 1871.

spike at thcpupper part of its shank with a flange or nose, protrudingin an inclination from said shank rearward and over the cross-Y tie,said protruding` nose being placed considerably below the clamping-head,and at a proper distance between the upper side ofthe resting-flange ofthe rail and the upper surface of the tie, so as to permit said nose torest firmly on the tie when the spike isv driven home, whereby said noseserves to counteract most effectually the side pressure of the railwithout adding to its weight.

Figure 1 represents a sectional side view of the tie and rail and ourimprovement applied to a square spike; Fig. 2, the same and ourimprovement shown with a screw-spike. Fig. 3 represents a top view ofthe head of the spike, showing the expansion outward of the ilange.

A represents the shank of the spike, which is provided with the usualpoint, and having on its upper end the head C, to overlap the rail. Onsaid shank, and on about a level with or a little below the uppersurface of the tie, we form a nose, B, which protrudes nearly rearwardin opposite direction of the rail.

The lower surface of said nose, which rests upon the cross-tie, we makeat an inclination nearly at right angles with the side pressure of therail, and to oppose the same, by which means we most effectually guardagainst the bending of or lnovin g the shank by such side pressure, andthis iiange is made wider on its outer end than on the shank, to have alarger bearing-surface.

The head C of the spike, it will be observed, is made of an extraheight, and does not spread sidewise, and does only extend to the shank,and has no connection with the nose B above mentioned.

Our object in increasing the height of the clamping-head is todistribute the metal in the direction of the upward pressure or strainagainst said head, and in narrowing the same to save metal used now onits sides, and which is not in a positive direction of the strainagainst the head, so that by the above means we produce a spike thatisstronger than those made heretofore, and of less weight than the onesnow in use.

We do not claim, broadly, in railroad-spikes, the shoulder opposite theclampinghead of the spike resting on the tie when driven home.

What we do claim as our invention is The head C of a spike, as shown,when its shank is provided with the inclined nose, wider at its outerodge, as described, and for the purpose set forth.

HENRY TORSTRICK. REINHOLD- BOEKLEN. Witnesses WM. E. BARNARD, EDWARDMOGALLEN.

